Neo Leaf
by Mr.ANBUninja
Summary: With their father and mother dead, the eldest of the Namikaze children must not only live with her parent's death, but also ensure the safety of her younger brother.
1. Chapter 1: The Sealing

**Chapter 1: The Sealing**

The Namikaze estate, now all but extinct, suffered its most painful lose yet. The clan head, and current Yondaime, Namikaze Minato and his wife Namikaze Kushina, both perished during the attack of the kyuubi. Kushina, during child birth with Minato's second child, was whisked away to a medical tent far from where the kyuubi was. A lone kunoichi, new born baby in her arms, leaves the tent moments after the birth running to Konohagakure.

Entering the half destroyed village, she runs towards the Hokage Tower where the Sandaime was awaiting. Running into the opened doors and past a group of injured ninja seeking shelter, she runs up the stairs and to the big wooden doors of the Hokage Chamber. When she approaches the doors and slows down, two ANBU appear in front of the door and block it. "MOVE OUT OF MY WAY! I am under direct order from Yondaime to bring this child to Sandaime. The fate of the village is at stake here!" the young girl said with a tone that made the ANBU look at each other, but they stepped aside.

The girl almost blew the doors down when she entered his office. The Sandaime, being an older man, stood at a big window looking over the village to the giant 9 tailed beast that was not only laying waste to the village, but to the people who are trying to defend it. The man looks at the girl with eye's that show great sorrow. "So he's really gonna go along with it..." said the man sadly.

"…with Kushina's permission no less."

With a bit of hope left he looks at the girl and is about to ask a question, but her coming remark squashes what hope.

The girl moves a blanked that was covering the baby's head to the side to reveal his short blond hair. "She didn't make it…" with a tear running down her face.

With a swift punch to the desk that sat in the middle of the room, the old man turned back to the window. "Yondaime told me his plans…" Looking back at the girl "…He's going to seal the beast in to his son…" Motioning down to something at his feet, the girl inches forward to see a seal trigram drawn on the floor, and candles surrounding it.

Sandaime, motioning for the girl to hand over the child, takes the baby and cradles it for a moment. Knowing the hardships that are ahead of him in his life, and realizing that he will soon be the last Namikaze. "One day, you're gonna be just as strong as your father, if not stronger." Says Sandaime. Remembering something he forgot to ask the girl, "What's his name?"

"Naruto…Namikaze Naruto" said the girl as she looked at the sleeping child the Sandaime was now holding.

"Rin, do something for me please…." The old man turns to Rin as he places Naruto in the middle of the Seal. "…Senju Tsunade was last seen in a small village north of here. I want you to go find her and bring her here by any means necessary."

Rin nods, "Hai!" The girl turns to leave but is caught off guard by a blue aura now floating in the room over the boy. She looks to Sandaime but is caught off guard by his horrified look. "Something's not right, this chakra…it's not red….it's blue!" said the now worried man.

Rin, being able to sense that the presence of the chakra is familiar "It's….Yondaime's" Soon after feeling Yondaime's presence in the chakra "and…I feel, a great evil from within his presence.."

Sandaime, now looking at the floating chakra "Something went horribly wrong, it feels as if the Kyuubi is sealed inside of the Yondaime's chakra…" Nicking his thumb with his teeth, he places he thumb on the childs forehead. "SEAL!"

With a light brighter them most have seen, the chakra infuses itself the boy, who is now fully awake and crying. Rin, now focusing on the child worrying if the change in events would have an effect on the child, looks to Sandaime who looks to be in deep thought. "This effect…it's not the kinjutsu that he told me he was gonna use. He used the Eien no tamashī shīru kinjutsu instead…" He looks at Rin who is now dumbfounded, "He sealed himself, along with kyuubi, inside Naruto!"

Rin, being the smart girl that she is, knows that a bijuu being sealed into a human is one thing, but a bijuu along with its sealer being sealed into a human is another, "But won't Yondaime's knowledge, and powers leak into Naruto the same as the kyuubi's?"

Sandaime, now holding the baby in his arm's again, looks at the brunette haired Rin with a slight grin on his face, "That it will Rin, but the seal that suppresses the kyuubi's power must be activated first. With the kyuubi now dormant, that won't happen for some time. Knowing that all the information that he possess could have been lost, he must have chosen this jutsu instead of his original plan" He turns to the window and looks out to see the kyuubi is indeed gone as the sun starts to peak over the Hokage Monument.

"Rin," said Sandaime "Find Tsunade, her aid Shizune should be with her. I must ask her a favor that she is more than likely going to hate…"

Rin again bow's, "Hai!" She turns to the door and walks through and is off on her new quest leaving Sandaime and Naruto in the room.

Sandaime looks down and the child and manages to smile, "You even resemble him, Naruto."


	2. Chapter 2: Senju Naruto

**(A/N! **For those who clicked for the second chapter, thanks for reading this far! My grammar is much to be desired and I myself cringe at it sometimes, but this is my first Fan Fiction, and I hope you like it. I did rework some Ideas from a few fan fictions I read and really liked. So far, I have Chapter 1-3 done, working on 4. Anyway, this is a Fan Fiction, so please keep that in mind, no hounding me on what character I choose to let live, let die, swap lives with etc. Anyway, hope you all enjoy!)

**Chapter 2: Senju Naruto**

(One Week after the Kyuubi's attack and the sealing)

The village is under heavy construction to rebuild what the Kyuubi destroyed. With many of the villages forces killed or wounded, many struggled to get things done. Many left for villages further south in the 'Neutral Zone', far away from war and attacks by monstrous beasts. Those left behind, are those dedicated to the village and their heritage.

Rin, after successfully locating Tsunade and Shizune, per the Sandaime's orders, had returned to the village and dedicated all of her time to looking after the child, which was kept night and day in the hokage's chamber. Rin, being the sole relative of the child and constantly grieving her parent's death, barely left the room. Once in a while the hokage would come and force her to get some fresh air. Feeding, cleaning, and soothing the child was proving to be a task that the 12 year old girl could barely handle.

Finally, one afternoon, as Rin held the sleeping Naruto in her arms as she herself was dozing, a loud knock was heard at the doors of the office. Sandaime, reading a book at the time, looked up from the book, "Enter", he said in a rough voice. A lady that Rin guessed was nearing her thirties entered the room and bowed when she stood in front of the desk. Her blonde hair tied back into a pony tail stretched down her back mid-way.

"Sarutobi-sensei, to what do I owe the honors of you requesting my immediate audience?"

"Tsunade, I'm glad you made it. I have something urgent I wise to ask you." Trying to keep his composure.

Tsunade looks at Sandaime, wondering what it was he was gonna ask her, then out of the corner of her eyes, she notices Rin holding baby Naruto. "Who's the cute kid?"

"That is Namikaze Rin, and her younger brother, Namikaze Naruto…" said Sarutobi before he was interrupted. "You mean Minato and Kushina's kids? What are they doing here? The two love birds off on a peace mission to another village or something?

Rin, trying to contain her emotions, stands up and places Naruto back in a cradle that was against the wall near where she was sitting with him. She turns back to Sarutobi with tears filling her eye's and then runs from the room, not wanting to hear what was about to be discussed.

"No, I'm afraid not," said Sarutobi "As I am sure that you are aware, the Kyuubi attacked the village one week ago. Many were lost. Whole families were wiped out, homes destroyed…."

"But that doesn't tell me where Minato and Kushina are, surely though, now that I think about it, that child is about a week old, so why isn't Kushina here taking care of it. I know Rin isn't the only one looking after him." Interjected Tsunade before a sudden realization crept over her. Feeling her legs get weaker and weaker, she fell back into the chair behind her with tears starting to build up in her eyes

"Minato…..Kushina…they didn't make it…did they…" as tears started streaming from her face.

Sarutobi just shook his head, stood up from the chair and walked over to the cradle that Naruto was sleeping in.

"So surely you will raise the two then, right? That's why he is in here right?" wondered Tsunade as she fought back more tears.

"Sadly, no, I've took into consideration the prospective families that would be willing to adopt the two…but considering their bloodline limit, and their fathers estate…it would only prove to be disastrous to the Namikaze name." Looking at Tsunade now, Sarutobi continued, "The way Minato wrote his will out, Naruto is the one who will inherit the estate, though his sister Rin is to the only member as of right now allowed to enter the estate…."

After a moment of thought, Sarutobi sits back down at the desk. "What I'm getting at here Tsunade, is that no one in this village, in my eye's, is fit to adopt the two….That is…there is no one that calls this village their home that I see is fit."

Realize that Sarutobi is talking about her, "So you want me to adopt the two? I've never had kids, let alone raised any…Sensei…are you sure I'd be the right person for the job? Why not Inoichi or Hiashi?"

"The bloodline limit is at stake here, they would want nothing more than to mold their bloodline limit with Naruto's and Rin's, and keep the offspring as their own, not as a Namikaze. Tsunade…I ask you, until they are of the right age….please….take them in as your own, give them the Senju name. It's the only way we can hide the secret that the Namikaze clan still has two surviving members left. As it stands, the village knows three horrid truths. Naruto and Rin's father Minato, the yondaime, is dead. Kushina died during child birth, and Rin and Naruto who were on their way to seek shelter here never made it past the Kyuubi and died…" Sarutobi stopped as he could see raw emotion building up in Tsunade.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Tsunade stood up and walked to the crib. Looking down on the toddler, "May I hold him…"

Sarutobi nodding, "But of course"

Tsunade reaches into the crib and lifts Naruto up into her arms and cradles him here for a few moments before laying him down and walking over to the door. Standing at the door for a moment, she turns and looks at the Sandaime. "I need to think about this, if that's ok with you."

"Take all the time you need, Rin stays with the child night and day so you needn't worry about his health. When you are ready, just come and see me." Answered Sarutobi in a low but assuring voice.

Tsunade only nodded as she left the room. It wasn't long after she left when Rin opened the door and walked back in, immediately taking Naruto from the crib and cradling him in her arms as she set back in the chair, tears still in her eyes.

"It might not look it Rin, but Tsunade isn't one to let people suffer knowing that there is something she can do to help. If she knows that I can trust her with this, then she will eventually agree to it."

Rin said nothing, instead, she just moved her brunette hair from her face, to her left side, and stared out the window of the chamber at the passing clouds, contemplating her own thoughts.

(Later that night, in a hotel somewhere in Konoha)

Tsunade lay there thinking about all that had happened today. She knew when she walked into the village that it was attacked, but she hadn't heard that Minato and Kushina where both dead, and their daughter and now infant son were both still alive, contrary to the belief of everyone in the village. She only uttered the hokage's words to her 12 year old apprentice Shizune, she herself was even stricken with sadness on hearing about the situation.

_What am I to do? I'm not the motherly type, Shizune and vouch for that. Though….Sarutobi did call upon me for this task, if he felt it necessary to ask for me in this matter, then I'm sure that he feels I am up to it…_she thought but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Getting off the bed, she walked to the door and opened it to see Rin standing there, holding the sleeping Naruto in her arms covered by a blanket. Surprised by the sudden appearance, she lets them in and shuts the door behind her.

Shocked that Rin is carrying Naruto out this late at night, "Rin what are you doing here!? Shouldn't you be back in the Hokage Chamber?"

Rin, shaking her head, fought to come up with the right words to say to Tsunade, "I…I came here….I came here to ask you personally. I don't know you, and you don't know me or my little brother, but you knew my father and mother and even trained them in their younger days…." She trailed off as tears fought to the surface "...but please, take us in as your own…no one in the village will take us in without the Namikaze estate being signed over to them, and you're the only person Sandaime trusts."

A moment passes, but Rin loses her battle of keeping her emotions down and breaks down into a complete bawl. Keeping her composure through this has taken an emotional toll on her that she can't take longer. Tears stream from her face as Tsunade watches, driving her own emotions to surface.

"I…I just….I don't want to commit to this, and then lose you two. My life is nothing but sorrow, and I've lost everyone I've ever held dear….But, seeing as I am a former Sensei to your mother and father…..and the Sandaime has chosen me for the task….I'll do it."

Rin, stricken with a state of shock from the words, looks up at Tsunade speechless.

"But I am going to come with conditions, none of which will affect you two, I just need to settle a few things up before I am able to take care of you two. Not to put you down or anything Rin, but you can't just expect me to adopt you two without me having terms and conditions."

Rin, knowing that anyone would have some sort of condition, nods her head in agreement "I understand" She stands up, walks to the door holding her brother, and stairs back at Tsunade with a slight smile on her face. "Thank you…" With that, she opens the door and walks out, closing it behind her.

(Next morning, the Hokage's chamber)

Rin was sleeping on a couch that was next to Naruto's crib when a loud knock was heard on the door. Not moving, but aware of her surroundings, she trained her ears to what was going on around her. The door opened, and she could hear footsteps approaching the Hokage who was at his desk. She knew who it was and let out a slight smile and knowing what was about to happen.

"Alright Sarutobi…..I'll do it." Said Tsunade in a chipper voice. "But on one condition…"

Leaning back in his chair, ready to hear what Tsunade was about to ask for, "What might that be?"

Grabbing a seat and sitting in it, Tsunade leaned back in the chair herself but kept her gaze at Sarutobi, "I want by debt wiped clean, I want a house that I can keep the two in, and….." She stopped and looked over at Rin, who she knew was awake but wasn't showing it. "….I want 5% of the Namikaze estate's funding to be made available immediately to Rin should she ever need it before Naruto is allowed to inherit it."

With his eyes effectively widened, he leaned on the desk staring at Tsunade, then to Rin. "You do realize that the amount your requesting would round out to be 7 Million ryos, plus, if I do grant that wish Rin would be the only one able to make any sort of with drawls."

Tsunade thought that the Sandaime was going to deny the last one, but to her surprise, he nodded his head and stood up from the desk and over to the window. His mind was in another time when he was retired, and Yondaime was in charge. "Very well Tsunade, I'll grant you your wishes. Though, one was already granted to you this morning." HE reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small envelope and then tosses it behind him to Tsunade. She opened it and found a set of keys and an address. "I have a modest home available to you and your new family." Turning around, he looked at Tsunade with a smile on his face. "Free of charge of course"

Tsunade was relieved when Sarutobi told her it was free of charge. She was in so much debt that she could barely afford to buy a piece of candy, let alone a house. A moment passed before Sarutobi, who had sat back at the desk and was writing something on a piece of paper, said anything. "I'll have the records department make it official. Rin and Naruto shall bear the Senju name, until Naruto reaches the age of 15 that is, or….." He looks up to Tsunade with a stern gaze, "…we could wait until he graduates the Academy and then we announce it. As of now, no one is aware that the two are still alive. I sent teams of integration specialists to each and every person who was aware of Rin's existence before and after the attack and had their memories of her erased. As far as they are concerned now, the children will be yours."

Rin, who was still trying to overcome the fact that her and her little brother were a part of a family again, sat straight up on the couch and looked at Sarutobi, "Does that mean I have to start the academy all over again?" The tone of voice she spoke in let the worry out. She didn't want to start the academy over again, she had come so far in her studies that she was recognized as the year's top student, not only in her year's class, but in the whole academy.

Sarutobi, pondered on the question, as he wondered how long Rin had been listening in. "No, I won't make you suffer anymore then you already have by making you repeat the academy." A wave of relief set in over Rin, though she knew not all of her problems were solved, she felt that a great deal had been.

Sarutobi stood up, went to the crib where Naruto was sleeping, and picked him up and handed him to Tsunade. "He is now in your care, Tsunade. Remember, not only is it his life you're protecting, but the _life-force _of the Kyuubi and Yondaime." After a minute of watching Tsunade hold the child in her arms, he walked to the door. "Come Tsunade, we must meet with the Council to discuss this matter. We in this room and a select few other know, but the clan heads must be notified."

With that, Tsunade got up and went over the door and followed Sarutobi out. She stopped long enough to look back at Rin and smile. "I'll be back soon, wait here." She turned around, and was gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Hyuga's Promise

**Chapter 3: Hyuga's Promise**

"I will not have that monster roam our streets! We all know what it is capable of" spat an older man. Sounds of agreement filled the large room. "I, Uchiha Fugaku, demand that the….MONSTER…be eradicated from this earth once and for all. Trapped within a child or not…"

Sarutobi, keeping his cool, stared at the man with a flat glare "Fugaku, I will state this again, and for those who did not hear me before. The Kyuubi is sealed inside the child, the kyuubi's powers are dormant, I myself can't sense any of its chakra coming from the child. From my point of view, there is nothing to fear."

"I agree with Sarutobi, solely on the fact that we can harbor the childs strength into a weapon…." Before the older man sitting with Fugaku got to finish, Sarutobi interrupted. "Danzo, we will not raise the child in this village as a weapon. He will become just like any other child, he will go through the academy, experience the Chuunin Exams, and rise through the ranks normally."

After 30 more minutes of arguing, many of the clan leaders were considering overthrowing Sarutobi, that is until the door of the chamber flew open and Rin stepped in emitting a kind of blood lust that no one had felt since the Kyuubi attacked. She had heard everything from outside the room. The respect that she held for the Uchiha clan, now shattered, was fueling her anger. She walked into the now quiet room, glaring down the Uchiha side of the room as she took her place in between Tsunade and Sarutobi.

"If any one of you lays a finger on my brother, I will not hesitate to kill each and every one of you" seethed Rin, barely able to hold her hands from grabbing the katana that was tied to her back. Sarutobi put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"You? By my understanding girl, the rest of the village believes you to be dead, along with the boy. Plus you're not even out of the academy yet, how do you expect to beat us at your level?" spat Fugaku.

Slamming her fist on the table in front of her, Tsunade glared them down. "With my help!" As the room fell into conversation, Tsunade aimed to drive the point home. "Anyone of you who dare's raise a weapon against my child, will pay with your lives!"

"I Hyuga Hiashi, will also assure the childs wellbeing. My clan has been in debt to the Namikaze clan for years, anyone who raises a weapon to the child, also answers to me!" the elder Hyuga was emitting a blood lust his own. Knowing that Minato had helped him many years ago, he felt that he owed his life to protect the late Namikaze's son. "Brothers, friends. I say, have we all lost our nerve? This is a child we are talking about. Minato chose his own child for this great feat, he wouldn't dream of asking anyone else. For him, knowing that his daughter would rise to protect his son was what drove him forward."

Fugaku, still filled with hate, coldly said "So you wish to forfeit your life to protect that monster too, Hiashi. So be it."

Rin had enough, she quickly reached into her side pouch and pulled out a kunai with a seal on the handle. She threw it at Fugaku with all her might. Before Sarutobi had time to stop her, Rin vanished and reappeared with the kunai in one hand pointed to Danzo and her Katana drawn and held to Fugaku's neck in the other.

Leaning close to Fugaku, Rin only whispered "Don't think, just cause I'm not on 'your level' that I can't take your head off. I will not let you disrespect MY FAMILY nor anyone who stands by us…" Rin turns to face Fugaku, who sees the killer intent in her eyes "…DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?" Though she wasn't of the living, everyone could feel the same anger and blood lust in the air that they had known Kushina to have.

Sarutobi calmly walked up to where Rin was. She still held the sword to Fugaku's neck as the Sandaime put his hand back on her shoulder to calm her. "Fugaku, it's wise not to cross the child of Minato, especially not when Kushina has rubbed off on her as we can all see. Rin," said Sarutobi as he gently took the kunai out of her hand that she had pointed at Danzo "Lower the sword, he won't make such comments in our presence again I'm sure."

Rin feeling her anger die down just a bit from the Sandaime's words, withdraws the sword from Fugaku, running the blade down the tip of a finger as blood from it rolls down the edge. Glaring at Fugaku and ignoring the pain from her self-inflicted wound, "Mother taught me that once the swords drawn against an enemy, it can never be put back in the scabbard without drawing blood first….but I guess you never heard that." She puts the sword back into its scabbard and turns around and walks down from where she was over to Tsunade and turns back to face the rest of the clan heads.

Sarutobi, walking back to where Rin and Tsunade are, stops in his tracks and turns to the rest. "I am implementing a special SS-Class decree. No one in this room is allowed to speak of today's topic, nor release any information pertaining to Naruto. To us all, Namikaze Naruto and Namikaze Rin are dead, but…Senju Naruto and Senju Rin are very much alive."

Moments later the meeting was over. Everyone filed out of the room, but not without a few glares from most of the clan heads. With the door closing, only Sarutobi, Tsunade, Rin, Hiashi, and the sleeping Naruto were left. Tsunade looks up at Hiashi and bowed formally. "Thank you Hiashi, you proved to defuse the situation at hand."

Hiashi only shook his head, "No," He looked at Rin and smiled faintly. "Rin here did that. I have never seen a girl her age go toe to toe with an Uchiha and still emit such a blood lust. You truly are not only your father's daughter, but your Kushina's daughter in that sense."

Tsunade knowing all too well where that anger in Rin came from, "Your mother would be proud Rin, from where I was, and seeing what you did, I knew that your mother was in there talking."

Sarutobi nodded his head in agreement, "I knew your parents very well Rin, what I saw was both of them reacting to what Fugaku said. Truthfully, if I wasn't in any sort of position of power, I myself would have done the same."

Thought they were speaking words of encouragement, they were all flowing over Rin, as she was in her own world. She had marked Fugaku and the Uchiha's as her enemies. Every last one of them, regardless of whether they raised a weapon to Naruto or not, was not to be trusted. She was only shook out of the trance she was in by Hiashi speaking Naruto's name.

"….As I stated before. I, and my clan, will ensure that young Naruto is never harmed. We are indebted to the Namikaze clan and would like to help in any way possible…."

Rin zoned out again. For all she cared, she was the only one who could properly protect Naruto, and everyone in that room had seen it. Suddenly, the move she pulled earlier was catching up with her. It had cost her a great deal of chakra. Feeling her knee's start to give she could only think about what the ones around her were to think. Losing consciousness, her mind goes dark.

(That evening)

Though her eyes are closed, Rin is once again awake and aware of her surroundings. She had been awake for a while, but decided that she needed the rest and didn't want to be bothered, so she acted as if she were still knocked out. Then the crying started, she heard Naruto start crying next to the bed she was in and decided to get up, but stayed still when she heard the door open.

Tsunade stepped into the room and over to the crib, picking up Naruto and trying to comfort him, "Shhhh Naru-chan, it's alright. See, big sis is ok…"

Rin felt a small amount of weight next to her but the crying had stopped. _Well, I was the first person he saw when he opened his eyes… _

Tsunade, irked by Naruto calming right down when placed next to Rin and not when she held him, managed to fix up a spot next to the bed Rin was in so Naruto wouldn't fall off. She turned around and walked to the door, but stopped and looked back at Rin and Naruto. "Rest easy young ones." Walking out she shuts the door behind her and can be heard walking down a set of steps.

Naruto, still fidgeting, slaps a hand down on Rin's face, causing her to open one eye and glare at him. "Hey you, that's not nice." She couldn't help be smile after seeing her younger brother manage to land a hit on her, something very few people could actually do. Soon Naruto drifted off to sleep as Rin laid there, her mind racing once again. She looked around the room and came to the realization that this was their new home. _They must have brought me here after I fainted _

Rin, not moving from the bed since she decided to let Naruto sleep, laid there all night thinking. She had nodded off a few times, but it was short lived. Soon the sun that was peaking over the Hokage Monument hit her eyes, so she decided to finally get up. She lifted the still sleeping Naruto into her arms, slipped her sandals on, and went for the door.

Rin walked from the room she was in, down a flight of steps, and down into a big open room. She heard voices coming from a room opposite the stairs and decided to go and take a look. Walking into the room, she sees Tsunade and Shizune at a table facing her, and a dark haired woman holding a small child facing Tsunade.

Tsunade, noticing Rin walk in holding Naruto, lets out a smile, "Ahh Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming, nice of you to join us today. Come sit down and meet little Hinata."

Rin walks over to the table and sits next to Shizune, who takes Naruto from her. She looks at the woman who is holding a baby girl, who Rin notices has the pale eye's that signifies a Hyuuga. She looks at the woman with a slight smile. "Your Hyuga Hiashi's wife, Gabriella, right?"

The woman nods, "I am, and you must be Rin, I have heard so much about you Rin and I am impressed by the way you stood up to an Uchiha, not only defending your brother, but the kind gesture that my husband had offered." She bows her head, "Your mother taught you well, Rin."

Tsunade nodding her head, looks at Rin with a grin, "I agree, but, there is a matter that we must discuss Rin."

Shizune, looking at Naruto, "A matter that pertains to not just Naruto, but Hinata as well."

Confused, and also worried about what they might be talking about, Rin reluctantly managed to get the words she was trying to say out, "What might that be?"

"My husband and I wish for Hinata and Naruto to be rasied together as close friends…" Gabrielle looked at Rin, who was still a little confused. "…Tsunade has agreed that before they enter the Academy, they will receive special training, not just from us, but from other well respected individuals….one of those being you."

Rin was shocked by what they were asking, they wanted her to train Hinata and Naruto when they were older. Her mother had taught her all she knew, but she seriously doubted that she would able to teach them as good as her mother had her. Plus there were others that were going to be training them also, which made her mind race again.

"Others? Like who if you don't mind me asking…"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and leaned her head back a little "Well, for starters, Sarutobi has requested that we have Hatake Kakashi around Naruto as much as possible, since your father was his sensei. He is an ANBU Captain now, so there is much he can teach Hinata and Naruto, even you Rin. I will also be training them, so will Shizune, in the field of medical ninjutsu. There is also one other…..individual."

"Well who?" spat Rin with a questionable tone.

"Jiriaya…"

Rin face automatically hit the table in frustration. She had known of Jiriaya sensei for a long time and knew how he was, but seeing that he was her father's sensei, she put up with him to a degree.

Tsunade sensing Rin's frustration, looked at Rin with a grin "You already know how he is so I won't go into that department, but, he is a master of seals just as your father was. Plus he knows 99% of your fathers fighting styles and jutsu's. Needless to say, Naruto and Hinata will greatly benefit from it. As I said before, you will also be benefiting from what we will be teaching."

Confused as to the words Tsunade had said, Rin looks at her with a unsure look in her eyes, "So If I'm going to be training with you guys, what will I be teaching Hinata and Naruto? "

Shizune, stands up and walks over to a counter and grabs something but Rin can't see it. When Shizune comes back, she slaps Rin's katana against her chest. "This…"

It struck Rin that they were wanting her to train the two in the sword arts, just like her mother had taught her. "But I'm nowhere near as good as mother was, plus I haven't even mastered all of the 'dances' yet."

"Yet she trained you, and you will continue to practice the dances by yourself until you have learned them, yes?" asked Tsunade, who's eyes were now fixated on Naruto.

Not knowing how her training was gonna turn out since her mother was now dead, Rin contemplated it for a moment. Looking down at her sword she mustered the words that Tsunade and the others wanted to hear, "Fine, I started my training when I was 7, a year before I entered the academy. If I train Naruto and Hinata, I wish that it be the same time in which I started mine. That will give them time to enhance their endurance and stamina, both of which is what's needed in the way mother taught me."

Tsunade looked at Gabrielle as to see if she agreed, she nodded in agreement. "Rin, I will see to it that my husband is aware of our discussions today, and inform him that not only will you be teaching the two younglings here, but also be their guardian." Gabrielle stood up from the table and bowed "I must be on my way, Hinata's feeding will be here soon" With that, she turned and walked out of the room and out of the house.

Tsunade stood up and walked over to the counter, opened a cabinet and took out a glass and a bottle of Sake. She poured the liquid from the bottle and into the glass, raised the glass to her lips, and downed its contents in one swift chug. Slamming the glass down, she turned and looked at Rin, "Your mother was the best Kunoichi the leaf had seen, I'm sure you will live up to her legacy Rin."

Shizune, still holding the sleeping Naruto, just sat there silent. She cradled Naruto as if she was his own flesh and blood herself, assuming her role as Rin's and Naruto's older sister now, she knew that she couldn't let Rin raise Naruto on her own.

Rin stood up, katana in her hand and headed out of the room. Determined to get the last 'dances' her mother never taught her down, she went into what was the houses back yard, and began practicing.


	4. Chapter 4: Acting on a Promise: Part 1

A/N: Thanks to those who followed and fav'ed this story, it means a lot. Here is Chapter 4 Part 1, I had too much planned for this chapter for it to fit into one whole chapter, so I separated it. Anyway, I hope you like the story so far, I am doing my best to keep it somewhat interesting. Without further ado, here's chapter 4!

**Chapter 4: Acting on a Promise Part 1**

Six years had passed mostly in the blink of an eye to Rin. Her brunette hair had grown out like her mother's hair was, her height had changed, and a few scars were visible on her arms. Though the most apparent appearance change was the Jonin vest she wore. She was considered one of the best ninja in her village, though she was petitioned to join the ANBU, she declined, multiple times. All the training she had went through the past six years had really been brought to light. Her medical ninjutsu was on par with Tsunade's and Shizune's, though she lacked the squeamishness that Tsunade had from the sight of blood. Kakashi had taught her about teamwork and how to better control her chakra. Jiriaya had taught her mostly all of her father's jutsu, but not the one limited to their blood line.

Naruto and Hinata were progression through their portion of the training with flying colors. With Rin's watchful eye, Naruto had grown to always be aware of his surrounds. He could see through almost any trick, and could most defiantly hold his own in a fight for his age. Hinata, though quieter than most her age, wasn't far behind Naruto. Having the use of the Byakugan at such a young age opened her up to a whole new world of hand to hand fighting that even Naruto couldn't master, none the less he could hold his own against her.

Though Hinata and Naruto spared often, the two were inseparable. Mostly due to the fact that Hinata's mother had died two years ago in an attempted kid napping, Hinata spent the night with Naruto 5-6 nights a week because of her father pushing her harder and harder. Rin really didn't blame her, Hiashi had went into a deep state of depression after his wife passed, driving everyone in his clan to train harder and become stronger, but his own daughter suffered the most.

As the thoughts of years passed flowed through her head, she kept walking down the path she was on. She had just finished a solo mission to the Land of Stars, High Priority Escort missions just weren't her thing, but the pay was good. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a pair of ear buds and a music device. She placed the ear buds in her ears and turned the device on as rock music began playing.

Music seemed to calm her thoughts down. She had another 2 hour walk before she was back at the village and she intended to let her mind rest the entire way, not lowering her senses to what's around her though. Suddenly she felt a tug on the back of her jacket. She turned around to a little girl with jet black hair holding a small bag in her hand. Rin leans down in front of the girl as she takes her ear buds out and looks her in the eye's all the while smiling.

"What is it Nina, are you tired?" asked Rin, knowing the girl had followed her for the past 16 hours and not once asked to slow down or take a break. The girl nodded but then started to frown as if she had let Rin down. "Yes…"

Rin, who's legs were all but telling her to sit down for a while herself, sat on the ground in a heap and is soon followed by Nina. "We'll rest here for a few minute's Nina." Said Rin as she pulled her back pack off and sat it in front of her. She reached inside and took out a canteen of water. She took the top off and handed it to Nina who downed half of it. Nina handed it to Rin who finished off the rest, dropping the canteen into the backpack when she was done.

"I'm impressed that you waited until now to ask for a break Nina, you're showing the same kind of attitude my little brother does."

Nina just looked at the ground. Rin knew that what Nina had gone through in her previous village was not something anyone would want to go through. Her parents were both murdered because of the power's they possessed. Nina was rescued by a village elder and hidden. The elders contacted Konoha and requested that they take in Nina as a refugee, which they agreed. Rin was sent to the village alone as not to cause debate about a full team's presence being a military operation in that village.

Rin had taken charge of Nina, and was back on their way to Konoha when a group of people surrounded them demanding Rin and the girl over. They were quickly dispatched, those who survived Rin's relentless attack's staggered off.

They hadn't been attacked again since then, though Rin knew she wasn't out of the woods yet till they got back to Konoha. Suddenly her train of though was broken by Nina wrapping her arms around Rin, embracing her as tight as she could.

"Thank you, Rin-sama, since mother and father died, you're the first person to stand up for me." It was as if Nina had read Rin's thoughts, but on instinct, Rin hugged her back. "Anyone from my village would have done it Nina," _That's a cold hearted lie…_ she thought. But if it kept Nina's emotions in check then she didn't see any trouble in it. "I know things in our village are very different then in yours, Nina, but I will personally see to it that my Hokage puts you with a family that isn't afraid of your special powers." She leans over to Nina and look at her, "You'll always have me looking out for you Nina, so if you have any problems when we get there, I'll be glad to handle them for you. That's a promise."

Nina smiled for the first time since Rin had known her. Throwing the back pack back on and lifting Nina up onto her shoulders, Rin began walking again. "I'll carry you Nina, don't wanna keep the Hokage waiting do we?"

With that Rin and Nina continued to the village. Once inside the gates and in the Hokage tower they made their way to the Hokage's chamber. Approaching the doors to the chamber, two ANBU stepped in front of the door blocking it. Rin stopped in front of them and stopped. "Wolf, Bear; you already know why I'm here. Please let me inside."

The two ANBU stepped aside and allowed her to enter the room. Inside, she saw a high back chair turned away from the door towards the window. Usually when the Hokage hears someone enter, they turn to see who it is. There was also the smell of sake in the air. Rin let Nina down and went to the desk. She knew the Hokage had stayed up most of the night drinking. So when she grabbed the chair, she used all her strength to turn spin it.

Spinning in the middle of the floor, the chair finally came to a halt and Tsunade slammed out of it to the floor, dizzy and confused. She jumped to her feet ready to fight when she noticed Rin standing there smiling and Nina hiding behind her.

"WHAT THE HELL?! Is that how you wake your mother after she spent countless nights up worrying about her daughter?"

"No, that's how I wake my mother after she spent her entire night getting drunk." said Rin sarcastically. Knowing her mother's new duties of being the Godaime were more important than her love for Sake, Rin began scolding Tsunade.

"You know as well as I do that if something were to happen to the village while I was gone, that you would be in no position to fight! Why insist on drinking in the office if all you do is drink too much and end up passing out?"

"It was just a one night thing, Rin, I'll be fine. Besides, even if I was drunk enough to be rendered useless, Shizune is more than capable of running the village. But, that's beside the point. Let's get down to the mission briefing."

Rin went to a corner of the room and grabbed two chairs. She sat both down in front of the desk and helped Nina into one before she and Tsunade sat in their own. Tsunade opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out some papers.

"Alright, let me hear it all. Don't spare me any details." She really wanted to hear why anyone would want to hurt that innocent looking girl that sat before her.

"Well," said Rin after a few seconds. "I got to the village without incident, met up with the elder who was indeed in possession of Nina here. I took possession of her after a background story on her predicament and we left. It was maybe an hour later when a group of civilians decided to surround us demanding I hand over Nina to them or they would blah blah blah so on. Needless to say, Godaime, I dispatched them and immediately got Nina away from the location. We didn't stop till we were two hours out for a rest."

Tsunade, still interested in hearing the girl's full story only having heard bits and pieces from the summons they received for help, pressed on. "So what's her full story?"

Rin saw Nina throw her hands over her ears. She didn't want to hear it, and truthfully, Rin didn't want to repeat it. "Her parent's bloodline limit had been found out. It seems that they were masters of the scythe, only their limit allowed them to manipulate the wind, and many other things around them when using the scythe. The village she lived in started to fear that her parents and entire clan would revolt against and kill the villagers. So, without proper thinking, they attacked one night, Nina was only saved by an Elder who managed to sneak her away in time. The elder is the one who contacted us, and has asked we accept Nina into the village as our own. He fears for her life if she were to be returned to the Land of Stars."

Tsunade was struck with sorrow form hearing the girl's story. She looked at Nina and managed to smile. Nina uncovered her ears just as Tsunade started talking. "Nina, I, the Godaime of Konohagakure, would like to welcome you as our village's newest member. You don't have to worry about going back to that village. I will inform all the clan heads of our newest arrival during our next council meeting."

Nina stood from the chair and bowed. "Arigato Godaime-sama."

"Now, about your room and board. I don't have anyone available in the village at this time, or even ready to take in a new member as a matter of fact. So," looks at Rin "Both me and Rin would love it if you were to stay with us. Think of it as a kind of protection in case someone from your village decides to show up."

Rin, shocked by what Tsunade had said had her mouth hanging. "But mother…are you sure about this?"

Tsunade sat back in her seat and eye's Rin. "Though the old man had good intentions, I'm not gonna leave this girl with another family knowing that I am the Hokage, like Sarutobi had done with you and Naruto. I see it only fit that we take care of her. Besides, Naruto would love having a new friend around. Don't you agree?"

Rin sat there for a second thinking on it, for once, she and Tsunade were actually agreeing on something. She didn't want Nina going to some other family, Rin felt that they would just try to harbor Nina's power as their own in time. "Yea, I agree. I can take her home right now if you wish and get the spare bedroom set up for her."

Tsunade nodded in agreement, "Yea, I'm done here anyway. Make sure that she is introduced to Naruto, Hinata too since I'm sure she's with him."

Rin nods and stands up, taking Nina's hand. Nina looks zoned out and her reaction time had slowed. Rin can tell that Nina is fighting to stay awake, the cool air condition room and the fact that she was sitting set in hard on the small girl. Rin grabbed Nina up and started carrying her on her back as she left the room.

Tsunade watched as both of them left the room and then suddenly zoned out. It wasn't until Shizune walked in that she snapped back into reality.

"Are you alright?"

Tsunade just turned the chair back around and looked out the windows behind her. "Perfectly fine, Shizune. I want you to send a word to the council members. I want to meet with them tonight if possible."

Shizune bowed, thought Tsunade wasn't looking, she still wanted to be formal. "Hai"

"One more thing Shizune…" Tsunade turns to face Shizune. "Don't you think Rin has grown up to be just like her mother?"

Shizune was dumbfounded by the question, "I'm sorry milady, but I never knew Kushina personally."

Tsunade had realized that she had never introduced Shizune to Kushina, and started beating herself up inside. "Well, if you knew her, you would agree with me. She's the spitting image of her mother, just with brunette hair instead of red. Either way, I thought I was sitting there talking to Kushina a few moments ago. Anyway, I have to get these mission reports filed. Go notify the clan heads and report back their answers."

Shizune bowed once again. "Hai" Shizune turns and leaves the room, leaving Tsunade to her work

(Later at Rin's house)

Rin had brought Nina home with her per Tsunade's orders. After showing her around the house, she went to the spare bedroom and set it up so Nina could stay. After getting her settled in, Nina fell asleep quicker than Rin had seen anyone before, so she decided to let her sleep and headed to her room herself. Walking through the door, she threw her gear in the corner. She had wanted to get out of her clunky battle gear for a while, so she went to her dresser and got a pair of baggy shorts and a t shirt out and changed into them. She went over to her vest and took her mp3 player from it and put the ear buds in her ears and turned it on again as she jumped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. She could feel a gentle breeze start blowing from the window, which was just enough to send her to sleep.

An hour passed by, with Rin sleeping away. She rolled to her side and only opened her eyes just a little to see if the sun was still in the sky but was startled by the figure that stood there in her window sill. Rin shot straight up but relaxed when she saw it was her friend Anko.

"Slacking on the job are we?" said Anko in a joking tone. The blue tinted black haired girl sat there staring at Rin, though she had on her usual fishnet under cloths, her trench coat seemed to cover the right spots all the time. She had a weapons pouch tied to her side and a kunai on her back, the same way Rin had. She stepped down from the window and slide down to the floor against the wall.

"You know, your brother really doesn't put up with people messing with Hinata."

Rin, sitting with her legs crossed on the bed and putting her mp3 player on the table next to it, actually laughed at what Anko said. "That I believe, he always has been. Plus when they are out and about in the village together its rare not to see them hand in hand. Anyway, did he get into any trouble while I was gone?"

Anko nodded, "Just the usual trouble, except this time he surprised me and got into a fist fight with an Uchiha boy. Needless to say he bloodied the boys nose before I got them pulled apart."

Rin somehow felt a since of pride from teaching her brother how to fist fight. Knowing what the usual cause of Naruto getting into fights was, she just wanted to hear Anko tell her. "Do I have to ask why he get into a fight with the boy?"

Anko shook her head, "You already know, the boy said something about Hinata and Naruto took up for her as usual." Smiling Anko turned her head to see a picture of Naruto on the wall. "If only I had a boy like that in my life right now. Hell no, I want a man like that in my life."

Rin couldn't help but laugh. "Anko, you haven't been worrying about _him_ anymore have you?"

Anko blushed a deep shade of red before she managed to choke out some words. "Are you crazy Rin? He's got a girlfriend for your information. I mean we all know he deserves better than that hussy any…"

Rin busted out in laughter and fell back on her bed holding her side. "You really have been. You still love him don't you? You love Riyuki don't you?

Anko was only becoming redder, "So what if I do, I don't see you complaining every time Misashi comes up to you when you're in the middle of something important. Baka Rin…"

Rin could sense the anger in Anko's voice and decided to let things cool off, "Alright Anko, I'm sorry. It just seemed fitting to pick on you since you were picking on my brother."

Rin can hear as the front door to the house flies open and can hear her younger brother's voice start to get closer to her door. As she turns toward it, it flies open and in steps a spikey haird blonde boy about 6 years old, and a girl with black hair following in behind him with pale eyes.

"Nee-san, when did you get back?" Noticing Anko, he sticks and tongue out at her as she quickly sticker hers out at him.

"Not too long ago, how was your training with Kakashi today?" asked Rin

"Eh, right now he's just doing a refresher course. Ever since Pervy Sage's new book came out, Kakashi-sensei has buried himself in it." said Naruto.

"Why can't I have refresher courses with Kakashi-sensei" murmured Anko in a sly tone of voice. Rin shot her a sarcastic look.

The look is broken by the sound of the door to the room next to Rin's open and footsteps can be heard down the hall. Just as Nina rounds the corner into the room to see what's going on, Hinata is down in her Jyūken fighting style. "Byakugan!" she yelled.

Nina sensing a threat got into her fighting style as she held her hand out. "RELEASE!" A light appears in the palm of her hand and grows in length, as it stops growing she twirls the long scythe shaped light above her head before resting it with the blade towards Hinata.

Naruto who has seen what's going on has turned with a kunai in his hand ready to strike. Rin, in a blink of an eye is between the three. "STOP!"

Rin looks between Hinata and Nina. "Hinata, Nina is our guest here, she is not here to hurt you or Naruto." Looks at Nina and see's that her blue eyes have turned silver. "Nina, they aren't gonna hurt you, dismiss the scythe please."

Nina hesitates, but straights up as the scythe disappears into a tiny flash of light. Hinata, not sensing anymore danger, deactivates her Byakugon. Naruto though still has his kunai out.

"Nee-san, who is this girl..."

Rin walks to Naruto and takes the kunai from his hand and tosses it to Anko, who is still sitting on the floor with an amazed look on her face. "She's staying with us for a while. Now I want you all too just calm down for a minute and breathe. No need to be at each other throats before you even have a chance to introduce yourselves."

Hinata hesitates but is the first to bow at Nina. "I'm sorry for taking you as an intruder. I am Hyuga Hinata, please accept my apologies."

Nina bowed back, "I accept, my name is Yato Nina." she said in a kind of cold voice.

Naruto, still mad that the girl he didn't even know had pulled that stunt with Hinata, still glared at her. Rin noticed the look in his eye's a bopped him on the head. "Be nice Naruto, I said she is our quest."

Knowing that the next hit from Rin was gonna be harder, he complied and bowed. "I am Senju Naruto, please forgive me Nina-chan.

Nina nods her acknowledgement as Rin is now ushering them out of her room. "Ok guy's I want you to get to know one another. Big sis here has a friend over at the moment."

Naruto turns to Rin and pauses, "Nee-san, Hinata-chan wants to spend the night, is that okay?"

Rin nods, knowing that Hinata always stays here and her answer is always the same, she was at least happy he was asking her permission instead of doing it anyway. "Of course Naruto. Hinata is always welcome, you know that."

Smiling, Naruto grabs Hinata's hand and heads out. To Rin's surprise, Nina follows Naruto out and closes the door behind her. Rin goes over to her bed and flops down on it covering her eyes with her hands.

"What the hell kinda little girl is that? Girls her age that I know still play with dolls, not scythe's…" said Anko coldly, referring to what she had just witnessed from Nina.

"I'm just guessing that what she say from Hinata was a threat to her, though I agree it surprised me too."

The room was silent for a few more moments before Anko got to her feet and was leaning towards the window. "I'll be going now," said Anko as she turned to look at Rin. "I'm going to see what I can get into. See ya" With that, she climbed through the window and was gone.

"Yea….see ya." mumbled Rin as she laid there, images of what had happened a few moments ago still playing in her head. _How well trained is Nina_… she thought. Soon, her head was blank, and she was fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Acting on a Promise: Part 2

**(A/N: ** Thanks to those who have came this far into the story. I truly thank you. I am also grateful to those who have fav'ed and followed, I also like to thank the person who spent time to review my story. I know it isn't the best ever, but it's my first. With that being said, I would have had this done sooner I had to pull a few long work days. I also want to make it known that this story will go from T rating to M, just incase my mind wonders into subjects not intended for younger viewers. With that, I give you Part 2 of acting on a Promise!)

**Chapter 5: Acting on a Promise Part 2**

Rin had been asleep for a good five hours. Her last mission had drained a lot of her energy which she intended to regain. She tossed and turned a few times, then suddenly sweat beads started to form. She was on all accounts experiencing a night mare. Not long after the sweat started to for did she shoot straight up screaming. Frantically she searched around her room to try and reassure herself that it was just a dream. She raised both of her hands to her face and buried it into them.

"Geez, the same dream again…" The dream she was inferring to was one in which Naruto had turned on her, severely injured her, and left her for dead while he himself left the village to join a secret organization.

Slowly she got out of bed and went to the window. The moon was now high in the night sky and casted its dull light onto almost everything. From where she as she could see the hokage tower and seen a light on in an office at the top. _Still hard at 'work' I see…_thought Rin knowing that Tsunade was drinking more than she was working.

She decides to go and sit outside to get some fresh air and rid her mind of the dream she had. Opening the door to her room, she walks out and looks down the hallway to Naruto's room. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary she walks down the steps and to the door. As she opens the door and walks outside into the cool night air she can't help but smile a little at the sight she saw. Laying against the hand rail is Anko sound asleep holding what appears to be a picture in her hands. Rin walks over to Anko and takes the picture from her hands without waking her. She looks at the picture as the smile on her face disappears and a sense of grief falls over her. The picture appeared to have been folded a few times, but Rin could clearly see, 3 people in it. In the middle was Rin herself, to her right was Anko with a big grin on her face, and to her right had been someone who brought the tears to her eyes. Her former squad mate who had been killed in a fight 2 years ago.

Rin was startled when Anko sneezed, which shook her wide awake after. Looking around, she finally sees Rin standing in front of her, but is thrown off by the tears that are now streaming off her face. She realizes they were caused by her looking at the picture of their friend.

"You know it wasn't your fault, Rin" muttered Anko as she laid there looking at Rin "Yuki gave his life to protect us, he promised us that we would get out of there and we did, he never went back on his word…"

"I let him down, I let you guys down. I ran in blindly not knowing what I was getting in to and needlessly caused you two to come in after me…I was the one who deserved to die that day not him…"

Just as Rin was about to speak again, Anko stood up and stopped her, "No Rin, the intel we had was no good from the start. You acted on what we had. We both followed you thinking the place was lightly defended…"

Rin, in a state of despair, can only be heard mumbling, though Anko can pick up on the words, "Locate the target, acquire the target, and get out of there. No more than 6 chuunin are guarding…" She looks up at Anko and narrows her eyes, "Those 6 chuunin turned out to be 5 Jonin squads Anko!"

"I know," was all Anko could muster out. She knew Rin and Yuki were very close, and the fact that she was reliving the night he died was only serving to bring her anger and sorrow back to the top once again. She had to try and calm the situation down before Rin did something out of blind anger. "He loved you Rin, he gave his life to protect you, to protect us. Had he not been able to get to you in time, both of us would be dead. Remember, you got me out of there too, I was in such bad shape you doubted that even I would make it, yet you got both of us back to the village."

Rin was struck hard by what Anko said. She knew that Yuki had feelings for her, but she didn't think that she was anywhere near his type. "HE…loved me?"

Anko nodded, "You bet your ass he did, though he was just too shy when you were around to say anything to you. Whenever you weren't around, he wouldn't shut up about you….Do you remember the promises that were made the first day we were put into our squad together?"

Rin nodded, knowing that what Anko was about to say might set her off again.

"Yuki swore his life to protect us both, you did the same. Me, I was too stubborn and said something along the lines of 'I'll be the best team leader out there' when I was really blind to the fact that the girl, the one I consider my best friend and even my mentor, was the one who lead us all that time. The girl who saved my life, the one who kept her promise."

That was enough to set Rin off. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor crying her eye's out. Anko sat beside her and put an arm around her to comfort her. "Hey now don't do that, I'll end up crying too..."

"I didn't keep my promise Anko, Yuki died…I broke my promise."

"No Rin, you kept your promise, the same as he kept his. You got me out of there, Yuki would want nothing more than to see the only two girls in his life that treated him right live long healthy lives…"

"But…"

Anko hugged Rin tightly "No but's missy, I don't want my best friend becoming a broken down emotional dumpster fire on her own front porch. You just need to rid your mind of that night and look to the future. You have your brother to worry about now, not only that, but his clingy little girl friend too."

Looking up at Anko, Rin couldn't help but grin slightly, "She isn't clingy, just over protective some times, the same as he is of her."

"Then what do you call what she did that Nina girl earlier? Show off?"

"I think of it as young love actually."

"Young love? They wouldn't know what love is if it bit them in the ass." spat Anko.

Catching the perverted joke hidden in Anko's last statement, Rin shot Anko a mischievous smile. "You'd know all about getting bit in the butt wouldn't you?"

Turning several shades of red, Anko couldn't say anything that would get her out of this situation. "Hey, what can I say, I'm known as the Konoha's Bad Girl. Can't have that without a few guy's running their mouths can we?"

Just as Rin is about to speak the door to the house opens and Nina come's walking out and stops when she sees Anko and Rin.

"Nina, why are you out here so late? Asks Rin, wondering if maybe Nina had a nightmare.

She only looks at Rin and then sits down on the deck where Anko had been sitting. "I can't sleep, this place feel's so weird to me. Plus I heard crying so I came to investigate."

"Everything's fine Nina, just a dark moment from my past surfaced again. I'll be ok."

"That and Rin insists I know what it's like getting my ass bitten."

"Shut up Anko," spat Rin, then she turns her attention back to Nina. "So how was it getting to know Naruto and Hinata?"

Nina shrugged "It was ok, Hinata stuck to him like glue. Though they appear to be nice people."

"She's usually like that Nina, she's very protective of him, and vice versa. That's why you saw her tense up so badly when you came into the room and activate her bloodline" said Rin as she could feel an odd chakra fluctuation from Nina.

"What I wanna know is how a girl your age is able to use a weapons summoning technique. The skills it takes to master that jutsu are not something a mere 6 year old could be able to do." Anko had wondered that since she witnessed Nina's actions a few hours earlier.

Nina hesitated, just as Rin felt a fluctuation of her chakra again. For a girl her age, she had a lot of chakra reserves.

"Well you see," started Nina, "My appearances aren't as they seem to you."

Both Rin and Anko were confused, they looked at each other and then looked at Nina with questioning looks. "Henge?" wondered Anko, and soon got her answer.

Nina becomes a cloud of smoke, once the smoke clears a teenage girl appears sitting in the same exact way Nina had. Her hair was down past her shoulders, she was wearing some kind of black dress with white outlines, and to top it off she wore a kunai patch on her right thigh. Looking at Rin and Anko who are both dumbfounded she can only smile. "Henge was right. I hid my identity to better help me escape that village. I wanted to tell you, but I felt that there was a better time and place."

"I knew it!" shouted Anko

"Why hadn't I noticed this earlier, Nina that was actually a smart idea, I mean I have to explain these new turn of events to mother, but what you did is genius."

"There is one more thing though, how could you keep your chakra suppressed as well as you did so me and Rin couldn't detect it?" asked Anko, who was now looking confused as ever.

"I can shut of enough release points to keep very little of none of my chakra from leaking out, thus making me seem like I had the chakra reserves of a 6 year old, when in fact I'm 14. The image you saw before now was in fact me, but a much younger me."

"You know," says Rin in a calm tone of voice "Not a lot of people have tricked me, one of those few people sits next to me, another sits in front of me." Rin stands and bows to Nina.

"Why are you bowing to me? "

Anko looks at Rin then to Nina and laughs "Just deal with it, she's rarely bows, only time she does that is when you truly deserve it."

With that Anko stood up just as Rin was raising from the bow. She put a hand on her shoulder and began to leave the porch. "I'm heading to my own bed, don't stay up late you two." She looks at Rin and smiles "Sensei wants to meet with us tomorrow by the way. Just thought I'd let you know now instead of waking you up at dawn." With that, Anko walked away from the house and down the street.

Rin and Nina sat there for a while talking. They opened up to each other about their life, the people they loved, friend's they had. After what seemed like hours, Nina finally stood up and went to the door to walk in.

"Aren't you gonna disguise yourself again"

"No, I don't feel like I need to anymore. Not with you around anyway. Night Rin." With that she walked in a shut the door. What she said had gave Rin a sense of pride. Was what she told Nina the other day on their way back to the village reassuring her of Rin's promise? She sat there thinking for a few more minutes before finally getting to her feet and heading off to bed.

(Next Morning)

Rin awoke to the sound of thunder and rain hitting her window hard. She got out of the bed and went to the window, it had been raining for a while. She stood there and knew that practices would be cancelled today, though missions were more than likely to continue. A few more minutes passed and she decided he was gonna go and grab something to eat from the kitchen. She usually just skipped breakfast and wait till lunch, but she had a pit in her stomach.

Walking from her room and into the kitchen she went straight to the refrigerator and opened it to. Inside she took out a little pastry cake and down it. After she shut the fridge, she noticed Naruto standing there glaring at her.

"Nee-san, when where you gonna tell me Nina was hiding her true identity?" asked Naruto with a little anger behind his tone.

She put a hand on his head and ruffled his hair a little as she made her way to the table. "If I had known myself Naru-kun, I myself didn't find out till late last night when she came onto the porch where I and Anko had been talking."

"It took all I had to calm Hinata down this morning…again. I almost didn't recognize her, but once I got Hinata under control she explained it all."

"So where is Nina and Hinata then?

"Nina offered to walk her home, thought I told Hinata that she would catch a cold in this weather, she insisted in checking in with her father and I stay here…Say, did kaachan come home last night?"

Rin shook her head. "She had to stay late last night, I guess she slept in the office."

"She's been doing that a lot lately, I haven't had time to..."

Just then Nina comes staggering in with blood flowing from an open wound on her forehead. Rin is immediately to her feet and over to Nina just as she collapses to the floor. She places her hand on her forehead and activated a healing jutsu. Soon the chakra that had gathered around her hand was closing the gash.

"Nina, what happened? Is Hinata ok?"

Nina shook her head. "I tried…but they took her"

"Who?" asked Naruto as Rin could feel a blood lust start to come over him.

"Cloud nin's…their waiting in the practice ground for you to bring Naruto too…"

Rin gently laid Nina down, ran upstairs and came back down a few moments later with her gear. She had her normal katana tied to her back but also had a second one tied on her side. She also had a radio communicator in her left ear. She turned to Naruto and gives him a reassuring look since the look on his face speaks for his anger and worry for Hinata. "I'll bring her back Naruto, I promise. I won't let anything happen to her." She looks at Nina who is now managing to get back to her legs but uneasily. "Take Naruto to the Hokage's chamber," She looks back to Naruto "Tell kaachan what's going on."

With that she rushes from the house and into the driving rain. As she runs to her destination, she flips a switch into on the transceiver of the radio to send. "Anko, if you can hear me, meet me at the practice grounds. Don't fool around either, someone has Hinata" As she finishes she flips the switch back to receive. A second later the ear piece crackles to life "Roger that, on my way" said Anko on the other end.

As she runs through the streets to the practice ground, she can only fear for Hinata's safety. _Please Hinata, please be ok…_


	6. Chapter 6: The True Test

**A/N: ** Sorry guys, I didn't realize the format had messed up when I posted it, I had 4 phone calls in a row and it took a nice guest review that i appreciate letting me know it was all funky. Anyway, thanks to those who have reviewed, followed, and faved! I had a friend on a forum I frequent where I post my story to as me what kind of music Rin listens to. Well, for some odd reason I can picture Rin listening to We as Humans song Take the Bullets Away, and Wrong Side of Heaven by FFDP, dont know why. Anyway, sorry for the little formatting error, hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 6: The True Test**

Rin had met up with Anko just outside of the practice grounds. Through the driving rain they formulated a plan. Anko had transformed into a henge of Naruto to try and fool the captors. Once 'Naruto' was in their possession, Anko would spring the trap. Getting Hinata away from the captors as Rin finished them off. The two raced into the training ground and stopped as they encountered a lone cloud nin standing in the open with a unconscious Hinata lying next to him with a blanket over her to shield her from the rain. At least he had enough sympathy to keep her dry. 'Naruto' stood by Rin as she glared the man down.

"Ah, what an honor to meet the children of the Godaime…"

Rin cut the man off, "Cut the talk. If you want Naruto, you're gonna hand me Hinata. I don't want her being dragged into something that Cloud has been planning for years."

"Oh but that won't be possible, for you see my village has use for both of these children. They will both be trained and adapted the life style of our village. Their bloodlines will be breed into our founding clans and then we will raise the offspring as our own…"

"If you seriously think you're gonna get away with this, you're wrong. My village will hunt you down and lay waste to you before you even get close to Kumo, and I will personally be at the front of the pack chasing you down! I made a promise to these two that no harm would ever come to them!"

"That…I can't assure. For you see, the Raikage wishes to wipe their memories of this wretched village. Including their past, the memories of their families. He also plans on separating the two and turning Naruto into his own personal weapon."

That was enough to set Rin off. "So what if his idea doesn't work and they can't wipe their memories? Surely you don't plan on just casting them aside"

A maniacal grin formed on the man's face. "Then….we transplant the Byakugan into the boy and kill the girl. Though this option is more what I would go for, the Raikage wishes to leave the girl alive."

Rin felt something deep down snap. She wasn't about to let the guy waltz away with Hinata. She told herself right then and there she was gonna get Hinata back even if it cost her own life. She took the katana from the scabbard on her back and pointed the tip right at the man. Though more than 10 feet apart, the man could feel Rin's blood lust spike to level's he hadn't known.

"Anko, drop the henge, I'm not gonna even let him get the satisfaction of thinking he has both of them in his possession…"

Immediately 'Naruto' turned into a cloud of smoke. Once it cleared Anko was standing there with her katana drawn too. "What's the plan?"

"I want you to stay out of it. I'm fighting this guy alone, I'm not gonna sit here and let him think he can do what he's planning to my little brother and goddaughter…" It was a little known fact that before her death, Gabrielle and Hiashi made Rin Hinata's godmother. Though word got out, it was quickly hushed. Anko felt Rin's anger and decided not to cross her. She only nodded and backed up a few steps. "If I see that you need help, I won't hesitate to jump in…"

Rin only nodded, not letting her gaze leave the man she had just marked to kill. She was coming up with a plan, she would push the man as far back as he could from Hinata, grab her, and Shunshin back to Anko before finishing the fight. If she could manage to kill the guy, that would be a plus. She put her plan into motion.

She formed a few quick hand signs, "**Ice Style: Thousand Ice Bullets**" Rain drops around her just seemed to stop midair and freeze. Learning some of the jutsu that Kakashi had learned over the years was really paying off now. They levitated there for a few seconds before she shot her free hand straight out at the cloud nin. At blinding speed, the ice bullets flew to the cloud nin, but in a blink of an eye he deflects them all with a kunai.

"Got to be better than that kid." Spat the cloud nin. He suddenly stomped the ground and a hung of earth flew up in front of him. He punched the mass and it instantly splintered into a few hundred sharp projectiles all aimed at Rin.

Seeing this, Rin forces chakra into her eyes. Her eye's glow blue as time slows for her. Raising her sword, she swiftly strikes down all the projectiles that would hit her before lowering the katana to the ground. Launching herself at the nin, she raises her katana high into the air to strike. Rin starts to push the man back as they both trade blows. Finally, she forces chakra into her katana, causing it to cut right through the kunai the nin is holding but he ducks out of the way just in time. This gives Rin the chance to grab Hinata into her arms, she turns and throws a kunai with a seal on it towards Anko. She disappears and reappears a few feet from Anko grabbing the kunai, landing on her feet she lays Hinata on the ground.

Anko rushes over to Hinata and picks her up but stays on guard. "What now Rin?"

Glaring at the man, Rin can only hear the voice in her head telling her to kill the man. Suddenly, she feels another chakra signature approaching them from behind. She turns just as a barrage of wind blows past Rin and hits the nin leaving tiny cut lines all over him. Nina, jumping down from the tree's, lands next to Rin with her scythe laid across her shoulder. Her eyes are glazed over silver and there is a crimson red line midway of her nose going under her eyes.

"Naruto?" asks Rin, wondering if they made it to the Hokage Chamber.

"He's fine, I broke off as soon as he got to the tower and came straight here."

The cloud nin notices Nina and then tenses up. "Nina o…"

"Keep my name out of your mouth, Kenji, you traitor!"

Rin was confused, so was Anko. Nina had to know of the man to be calling him a traitor. Anko couldn't keep the question down. "You know him?"

Nina nodded, "He was a family friend before he turned into a missing nin. He's also part of the reason I'm in Konoha today and not my home village…" Rin can see a tear start to fall from Nina's lets eye. "He sold out some of my clan's secrets and word got back to my village about it." Nina starts to clench onto the scythe harder, "IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU I'D STILL HAVE A FAMILY!"

Rin can sense what Nina is getting ready to do but puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her. Nina can only glare at the man. She wasn't about to let the man responsible for selling her family out walk off after showing himself. She got down into a fighting stance and repositioned her scythe off to the side.

Rin could feel the tension in the air between Nina and the Cloud nin. Finally, the cloud nin made his move. He makes some hand signs and slams a fist to the ground. Giant spikes form around him and move at lighting speed towards Nina. Nina stands ground, determined to strike through the spikes. Rin however, knows that a weapon won't be able to withstand the brute force of this jutsu. "NINA MOVE!"

Nina ignores Rin. She just holds her scythe up ready to strike at the right moment. Before Rin can think she is at full speed to Nina. She drops her shoulder and knocks Nina out of the way as a spike hits her, cutting a gash open in her left side. She hits the ground after spinning a few times in the air from the impact of the hit, blood pouring from the wound. Rain drops begin immediately covering her face as the pain in her side begins to go numb.

"RIN!" screamed Anko and Nina in unison. Nina is at Rin's side in seconds and holding a hand over the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. Anko immediately turns her attention to the Cloud nin who is trying to sneak off and begins combat with him. As Anko fights, Nina is trying to keep Rin awake and alert.

"Rin, Rin look at me! Your gonna be okay Rin." Said Nina frantically.

Rin looks up at Nina, seeing the worry in her eyes, adrenalin starts to pump harder through her. "Help me up Nina…."

Nina shakes her head, "No way, you're in no shape to keep fighting unless you have a death wish."

Rin fights her way to her feet, using her katana as a brace to lean on to steady herself. The pain starts to seep back causing her to cringe. "I'm gonna finish this guy off now, or die trying."

Just then Rin feels another hand on her shoulder. She turns her head and see's Tsunade standing next to her with Shizune behind glaring at the cloud nin Anko is fighting. "No, you're going to let me finish him. Shizune, tend to Rin…"

"Kaa-san? But I…I..." Rin loses her strength and starts to fall to the ground. Nina catches her on her way down and is trying to talk to Rin, but her voice fades as Rin falls unconscious.

(2 days later at Konoha Hospital)

Rin's eyes begin to flutter, she can hear the sound of the heart monitor and feel the pinch of an IV needle in her arm. She can feel a pressure on her left side where the spike had hit her, she knew that even Tsunade's medical ninjutsu wouldn't have been enough to spare her a few stitches form the wound. She opened her eyes and scanned the room. Her vision was blurry but she could still make out a figure at the end of the bed looking down into a book. As her vision cleared a little, she could see that it was Nina.

Though see detests it when people don't listen to her, she couldn't really blame Nina for not moving when she was told too. If a friend of her family had sold them out and caused so much death, Rin would be hell bent on blood too. Though she already was bent on getting the nin's blood, she wouldn't have allowed herself to stop until his last breath.

Feeling strength start to come back to her limbs, she wiggles her fingers and toes a little to make sure nothing else is wrong. Finally she starts to lift herself up in the bed. Nina notices her and is to her feet and beside Rin with an arm around her back helping her. "Don't overdo it Rin, the stiches will tear." Nina begins to make Rin as comfortable as she can, "How do you feel?"

"Like I've seen better days. You didn't get hurt again did you?"

Nina shakes her head. "No, I'm fine, though a bit tired still. The form I took to fight the guy took a lot out of me. Your kaa-san really did make the guy regret living. Thought she let him live…for interrogation purposes."

"He should consider himself lucky. Anyway, is Hinata ok? She's probably still shook u…"

Rin stops mid-sentence when she sees the look that has set in over Nina's face.

"What, is Hinata ok? Tell me!"

"Rin, Hinata is fine, but…"

"But what? If she's fine then why do you have that look on your face?"

"It seems that the squad of cloud nin's that came hit the Hyuga compound first…..only one survived but he defected with the cloud nin's. No one found out about it until Tsunade sent for Hiashi and the messenger returned with the news….Hinata's cousin Neji seemed to help the cloud nin's." Nina was fighting back tears. The fact that someone else was now experiencing something similar to what she had, was taking a toll on her.

Rin was overcome with grief. The man who had stood up for her years ago after the Kyuubi had attacked the village and was sealed in her brother was now dead for a long standing hatred between a clan and rival village. "Where is she…?" was all Rin could choke out.

"With Naruto, he's the only one right now that she will let near her. She kept asking for you, but she understood you were here recovering. She won't eat, she will barely drink anything, over all she won't sleep. Tsunade doesn't want to sedate her but if her health starts to decline she won't have a choice."

Rin instantly throws the covers to the bed back and stands up from the bed, through still a bit shaky, she grabs the IV in her arm and pulls it out. She throws the clip on her finger for the heart monitor off and stares at Nina. "Give me my clothes, I'm going to her."

"Rin, they haven't even discharged you yet!"

Rin keeps her gaze on Nina as her left arm lifts up and she points at the window across the room. "There's my discharge, now hand me my clothes!"

Nina only nods. She goes over to a little table that had Rin's clothes. Tsunade had some new ones sent for when was well enough the leave the hospital since her others were blood soaked and torn. She handed them to Rin who had dropped the hospital gown. It took a few minutes of fighting through the pain in her side and the fatigue but she managed to dress herself without Nina's help. She walked over to the window and opened it, to her surprise they were on the ground floor so they wouldn't have to jump. Nina though, helped Rin out the window before her herself climber out.

The two ran through the streets and towards her house. The rain had stopped and the sun was beaming down from high in the sky. Some people who noticed her simply stood aside. She was sure that word had gotten around that she was injured in the fight and they didn't want to chance her by being in her way. A few moments later they arrive at her house, going up the steps Rin stops at the door with her hand on the door handle. "Nina, whatever happens in there, don't blame Hinata. She might not be in a stable mind and will probably lash out. If that happens, just leave the room and I'll calm her down."

Nina only nods.

With that, Rin turns the door handle and opens the door. _Kami, please help me guide Hinata through this…_


End file.
